RegiGod: I know I haven't updated in such a long time but don't kill me please! Well I guess you can since I lost my inspiration to continue on but after reading my stories, I felt like continuing them but I don't know how long that'll happen for. So… have fun reading this chapter I suppose.

Disclaimer: I do now own Danny Phantom or its characters. That privilege belongs to Butch Hartman… I think that was his name if I recall correctly.

Warning: Okay… I'm sure that the people who have reached up to this chapter know what the warning is so I know I won't have to say it again.

Coupling: I think it'll still be a bit of DxS in this chapter and Phantom x Gregor but don't worry, as I said in past chapters, Pitch Pearl will ensue!

Precious to Me

Chapter 7 – Unfolding

Phantom's POV

"Is there something wrong Danny?" I gave a smirk to the fuming boy in front of me as I had a hint as to why he was upset right now. The people who were in the hallway we were in were now watching the situation unfold between us.

"Danny? Is something wrong?" Of course… the Goth girl would come up and try to calm her boyfriend down. This girl has got to stop interfering with my plans all the time… she's such an annoyance. A few moments had passed between us and not one word was said and this was beginning to bore me. Suddenly, two dark black ovals appeared to the right of us and two reapers came of them holding each a scythe. Everyone ran away screaming except for Gregor, Danny and his friends, and myself. My smile grew bigger once more…

"Well if it isn't the two empty heads!" They both sent me a glare as they continued to proceed towards Gregor and me.

"Empty heads you…"

"say? We'll see if…"

"we're as empty headed…"

"as you say we are…"

"after we do this!" Both of them pointed their scythes at me and shot out a black cloud at me but I easily dodged the attack.

"Oh please… do you two really think you can defeat me?" Both of them chuckled evilly as I became confused. Well it really was the truth that they couldn't beat me... so why are they laughing? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Danny back away towards his friends as he changed to his ghost form. He must be preparing himself in case he needs to fight… that's so like him to protect his friends.

"We didn't even expect…"

"to see you here Phantom…"

"with Gregor but I guess…"

"fate is on our side now." I chuckled a bit at what they had just said.

"I thought you guys didn't believe in fate?" I gave a soft smile as I waited for a reply.

"We don't… it's just…"

"something we say when…"

"something such as this…"

"happens." They shot another attack at me but I also dodged that one as well.

"If that's the best you can do, then I suggest that you give up." What are these two doing here anyway? Why can't they just go away so I can talk to my precious Danny?

"Fool. We are the ones…"

"who gave you immorality…"

"and we can take it…"

"away just as easily…"

"as we gave it to you." Is that what these two buffoons are here for? To take away my immortality? Well I'm not going to let that happen just yet. Before I could have retorted, one of the reapers disappeared for a second and suddenly reappeared with Gregor in hand.

"What are you doing? Let him go!" I immediately got upset at how they were getting other people involved in this. I always hated it when they did something like this. These two could never fight fair… they always had to do something cheap.

"What's wrong Phantom?"

"Is this boy of some…"

"importance to you perhaps?" I gritted my teeth in anger.

"If you want him back…"

"then we suggest you…"

"follow us…" The both of them quickly entered the two black ovals that they had used to get here. I have to stop them… if those two came here to take away my immortality, then who knows what they're planning. Even though I am stronger than they are, they have the ability to bend reality to their will. The moment I jumped off the floor to enter the portal, a blue portal appeared before me with Clockwork exiting out of it. He immediately stopped me from following the two reapers by blocking my path.

"Get out of my way Clockwork… before I make you. I have no time to play games right now and I will kill you myself if I have to pass you to get to the portal." Clockwork simply gave a grin as he lowered himself down to the ground.

"It's been a while since I've seen you flustered like this Phantom. It's quite…enjoying to see." I bit on my teeth harder… every second that this time ghost prolongs me for, is a second that the reapers have a chance to take away my immortality. I immediately did telepathy to call Sam to me just in case I may need her for this and in just a second, Sam appeared next to me.

"You called?" I nodded.

"It seems we have to take out Clockwork once and for all." Clockwork simply chuckled at what I had said as if I was just kidding.

"Calm yourself Phantom." He turned around and lifted up his time staff. Before I knew it, the two dark ovals were getting smaller and I knew that Clockwork was the cause of this.

"What are you doing!?" Clockwork had said nothing as he closed the two dark portals before me. He turned around and looked back between me and in the direction of Danny. Oh weird... I just remembered something about Danny but that will have to wait for now. I have to take care of Clockwork first.

"If you had followed them as quickly as you did, you would have run into a trap." I immediately became confused. A trap? If that's true… then did Clockwork just save me?

"And you stopped me… why?"

"Because having you fall into their trap would not be a good thing for the human world nor for the ghost zone which is why I stopped you. You see Phantom…" He began to circle around Sam and me and as I glanced at Sam, I could tell that she was really puzzled at what was happening right now. "Those two reapers are using Gregor to get to you because they know that you'll save anyone who falls into their hands. To put it short, they want to take away immortality because of the little curse that they have put on you long ago."

"But I didn't do anything to fulfill the curse!" At least… I don't think I did. Clockwork still surprises me on how he knows everything about everyone.

"Are you sure about that? Why don't you think back for a second?" I took a small glance at Danny and saw that he was no longer upset and no longer in his ghost form but he had a befuddled expression on his face. He's so damn hot… I think Danny is the cutest guy I've seen all my life. "There! What did you just think right now?" I looked at Clockwork as he stopped circling us.

"Um… I was… thinking back?" I chuckled nervously… Clockwork has got to stop knowing everything.

"That thought that you had just now is only feeding the curse that you have on you." I looked down to the floor. These kinds of thoughts… are actually doing that? I have a feeling that my actions make it even worse. "I know how much you want to take the curse off of you so I'm here to offer you my help." I raised an eyebrow.

"Your help? Why and how would you be helping me?" My interest in this conversation had risen slightly when I learned that the curse could be taken off.

"Yes, my help. I'm helping you because if I don't, the reality of all things could come to a crashing stop and I'll help you by going with you to the reapers' territory and defeating them there." A smile grew on my face once more.

"And defeating them would take away the curse?" I guess Clockwork isn't such a bad guy after all… he is the good guy who protects everything from evil and I guess in his perspective, I am kind of evil at times.

"Yes it would but here's the thing. Killing them would remove the curse and make you age just as the humans do and you would have a human body but you would still have your powers which means if an ectoblast was shot at you and you didn't bother to dodge it, it would hurt you and it wouldn't ricochet as it normally does now." The smile still didn't go away as I only felt happiness in me.

"That's okay with me. As long as the curse is gone… and if I'm going to age just as the humans do, I guess that means I'll have to find a life here and I guess that also means I have to be even more vigilant in battle as to not get hit by attacks. At least I'll still have my useful powers with me."

"Are you sure you want to do something like this Phantom?" I looked to Sam besides me and saw that she was deeply concerned about me. "If you age just as the humans do, we'll lose our most precious leader because we don't age at all…" I placed one of my hands on her shoulder to console her.

"Don't worry about me Sam. I know the group will do just fine with your leadership. I'm sure that all the years that we've been together, some of my leadership has rubbed off on you." I chuckled as she did the same. This is one of the times where Sam is understanding of me and where she doesn't try to contradict me.

"You mean your overly drama yet goofy leadership?" I nodded at her sarcasm. "You know I'll be happy for you and I do hope that you know that wherever you go, the group, including me, will follow you until you depart from us." I smiled happily at what she said.

"Thank you… the group and especially you are the closest things I have to me and I would hate for that to go away."

"Ahem." Sam and I turned to Clockwork who gave a sound. "So, I'm guessing from that little conversation that you just had that you're going to do it?" I nodded. "That's great then. That means that you and I are no longer enemies but allies now." I chuckled to myself.

"I guess so Clockwork." I took out my hand and Clockwork did the same as well as we shook our hands in friendship. Even though Clockwork was an enemy to me just moments before, throughout all of our battles together, I feel as though I have a special relationship with him. "So when should we get started?"

"Anytime that you want to."

"How about tomorrow then?" I do have other things to do first before I take off to battle the two reapers.

"Sure. I'll meet you at your hideout then around noon." I nodded as Clockwork called upon his portal and entered it. Moments later, Clockwork was gone leaving Sam and I with Danny and his friends. As I looked in the direction where Danny was, all of them had their eyes upon me. As much as I wanted to hug Danny, I couldn't do it since I do remember saying that I wouldn't bother him nor would I talk to him. So instead, I gave a smile as I turned to my second in command.

"Shall we leave?" Sam nodded as she placed her hand on me. Just a second later, I began to have a minor headache arise as we were now in our hideout.

"I'm surprised that you didn't want to stay to hang out with Danny. What happened with your plan to make him jealous?" I shrugged. "You really have weird mood swings Phantom…"

"I do not have mood swings!" Sam ignored me as she sat down in a chair in front of the television. She's really hooked onto that thing… I sat down in a chair next to her as I contemplated on the situation with Danny. What should I do now…?

Later that Evening…

"Is this what you like to watch Sam? Some monsters beating each other up?" I, for one, am kind of shocked that Sam enjoys watching this sort of thing.

"Yeah… I think it's entertaining to watch at times." I raised an eyebrow in bewilderment.

"Don't you mean, 'all the time?'" She sent me a glare quickly as I mentally laughed.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Phantom?" I shook my hand back and forth saying it was nothing but she didn't believe me. Suddenly, something struck my mind as I felt a strong presence show itself in this world. "Did you feel that?" I nodded. "Should we go and find out what it was?"

"There wouldn't be any harm if we did now would there?" I smirked as Sam and I stood up from our chairs as she laid her hand on my shoulder. Here comes another headache… we soon teleported to where we felt this power emerge and before I knew it, I soon found out where the power was coming from.

"You!" I pointed to one of the reapers who were wreaking destruction on the town. Now this is rare… where's the other reaper? Those two are hardly separated…

"Who me…?" He gave a dark, evil laugh that made even me a bit intimidated.

"Yes you! What do you think you're doing?" He turned fully to face Sam and me as I awaited his response.

"I am cleansing this world of all humans to bring forth a new race that will reign supreme!" Holy shit… did that guy just… say a full sentence… all by himself? I don't think that's a good sign at all.

"I don't know if it's just me… but did that guy just say a sentence?" I nodded.

"Yes… he did Sam and I'm sure that isn't good." He began to laugh again as he raised his scythe high into the air.

"Do you want me to take care of that guy?"

"Nah, it's okay. I'll handle him but just in case… be sure I don't get killed." I chuckled nervously as Sam only nodded exasperatedly.

"For Detheroc!" For whom did he say? "Swarm!" Suddenly, a green swarm of bats flew through Sam and me and it had actually hurt. It was something I haven't felt in years…

"What the hell was that?" I said as I grasped onto my chest.

"I don't know but I don't think you're going to be able to take him down without me Phantom." I nodded.

"I agree with you on this one. Shackle!" I magically threw a green net at the reaper and I was able to contain him within it. I chuckled to myself as I began to send pulses of electricity running through it that made the reaper scream in agony.

"Lucent beam!" Sam had called upon her own spell as the moon itself attacked the reaper by focusing its light for a second. This only made the reaper scream more. Suddenly, the reaper raised his scythe again within my net somehow.

"Sleep!" Before I knew it, darkness came over me as I closed my eyes. I soon groaned as I opened my eyes to see Sam and the reaper engaged in combat.

"Ugh… how long was I out for?"

"For about a minute and I could really use your help right now Phantom! Poison dagger!" Sam immediately threw a dagger at the reaper that had poison contained within it. Over a period of time, it really begins to hurt the victim.

"I'm coming Sam! Finger of Death!" I shot out a red thunderbolt at the reaper which immediately made him scream like never before as he fell down onto the concrete below us. This was one of my ultimate attacks… this one made the victim turn inside-out painfully. I moved over to where Sam was as she and I looked at the corpse in the concrete. "Weird… he must not have had a body."

"This was really weird Phantom… he used spells and attacks that we have never seen before and it took us both to take him down. I always thought that the reapers were weak?"

"Perhaps they were holding their powers back…" Suddenly, the corpse came back to life as he looked up at us. "This isn't good… quick! Attack him before he can retaliate against us!"

"Banish!" The reaper was now banished to the ethereal world which only made him more vulnerable to our spells for a period of time. "Laguna blade!" Sam shot out a bolt of electricity that was almost as strong as my Finger of Death and the only resemblance to my electric powers.

"Lighting Strike!" Two lighting bolts rained down upon the reaper leaving only an X in its wake. He finally came back from the ethereal world and sure enough, it seems that our attacks have weakened him greatly from the looks of him. Against my expectations, the reaper laughed once more. "How is he… not being damaged from our attacks?"

"Death coil!" Suddenly, a death skull came right for me and as it entered into me, I felt immense pain that I haven't felt before in a long time. I groaned in pain as Sam held me up against her.

"Are you all right!?" I nodded weakly.

"Yeah… I'll manage so don't worry too much about me. How are we going to defeat this guy? And where did he get these abilities from and how was he so strong in the first place that neither you nor I was able to know about it?"

"I don't know but I do know that you're asking questions to the wrong person right now." I pushed myself off of her as we readied ourselves for battle. "Eclipse!" Soon enough, the moon attacked the reaper with its light again but multiple times this time as I went in for close combat. Electricity ran through my hand as I punched the reaper right in the face, if it had any but I definitely felt something from where I punched. I gave a roundhouse kick to the head soon after with electricity running through as well. He flew headfirst into a nearby building as a cloud of dust soon covered him from being seen. Is he… finally dead? Sam lowered herself right next to me on the concrete as we waited for the dust to clear up.

"Ugh… you'll pay for this Phantom… we'll take away your immortality soon enough and kill you ourselves!" When the dust had finally cleared up, I saw a green dome around him that pulsated. "I'll be back…" Just a moment later, the dome, including the reaper, had disappeared right before our eyes. I sighed tiredly from the battle that I had experienced.

"Since when did these guys want to kill me?" Sam patted my back as I started to look around the area. Not one person was here… I guess they all evacuated when the reaper first started to attack.

"I think it's because of the curse you have over you. Clockwork did say that was the cause of this."

"I suppose so…" Wait a sec… usually when a ghost appears, doesn't the real Danny Phantom show up to save the day? I looked around quickly in case Danny was nearby and as I looked upon one of the rooftops in the vicinity, there was Danny, standing right on top. I smiled happily as I flew at the speed of light right next to Danny. "Well, well… look who it is." He looked shocked that I was here but he quickly hid it.

"Um… how did you know I was here?" I closed my eyes as I explained.

"It's really easy to see someone's head poking out of the rooftop you know." Danny gave a big 'Oh' as I looked all over his body. "I'm surprised you didn't come in to fight the reaper with us."

"Well… I knew you two would be able to defeat him since you two are so strong." I chuckled out loud at his compliment. Silence took over the atmosphere as I continued to stare into Danny's blue orbs. Unexpectedly, a memory soon came when I remembered that I had told Sam that I was going to leave Danny alone… I guess it must be fate if I remembered that particular part. And I guess it must be fate that doesn't want me to stay here with Danny any longer.

"Hmm, I'll be going now I suppose." As I turned around, I immediately heard him call me back.

"Wait!" I faced Danny again and it really looks like that he's about to say something to me but can't get it out.

"Yes?" Our eyes locked with one another as I felt my heart begin to beat rapidly. Come on Danny… say what you need to say… Again, moments of silence passed as my hope of him ever loving me back began to drop. I can't just stand here waiting for him forever… even though I said that I would but that was just figure of speech. Is this boy in front of me… really the one for me? "I guess you have nothing to say to me then. Good bye." With that said, I left the area immediately as I headed back to my hideout with another pain in my heart for a reason I do not know…

Danny's POV

Damn it… why didn't I tell him how I feel about him just now? Why did I just let him slip away from me so easily? I sighed out loud in sadness. Wait… what am I thinking? I still have Sam… don't I?

"Looks like you're having trouble getting your feelings out to him, aren't you?" I turned around to face the intruder to meet a familiar face.

"Clockwork… what are you doing here? And what do you mean by getting my feelings out to him?" Does Clockwork know how I feel?

"Oh I was just passing by." Passing by? I doubt that highly… "And I observed the fight between Phantom and one of the reapers. It amazes me how much power those two reapers have… it may very well equal the power of Phantom and I. Anyway, that's beside the point. Trust me Danny, I know how you feel for Phantom and I'm sure you're very confused."

"Do you really?" He nodded.

"Of course I do. I have no reason to lie to you. I can tell you that even though you're lost on what you feel for Sam and Phantom, you'll eventually learn how you truly feel in the near future. You just have to learn to trust your feelings and your heart more often." I chuckled a bit by what the time ghost had just said to me.

"I thought you said you weren't a master of love Clockwork?" He gave a small grin before replying.

"I'm not… it's just friendly advice. I'll be arriving at Phantom's hideout at precisely 12:30 PM so don't be late." I immediately became perplexed. Why is he telling me this?

"What do you mean don't be late? I'm not going with you guys to battle the two reapers." That's when Clockwork came up besides me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Of course you're coming! You'll be very useful to us; you just don't know it." I was still lost on what Clockwork wanted from me but I think I have a hint of it. I sighed once more before responding.

"I don't know Clockwork… I mean, Phantom told Sam that he would leave me alone from now on."

"Hah! And you believe what he says? You're pretty gullible… must be one of those traits Phantom likes…" I am not gullible! "Tell me, do you think after a month of him trying to get you as his boyfriend that he would give up as soon as he met Gregor?" I nodded sadly. "You really are gullible…" I rolled my eyes mentally at what he had said. "He most definitely wouldn't. I'm sure that he still loves you and that he's just as confused as you are right now. It's just that one of you has to have the courage to be the first one to open up to one another." I began to think on Clockwork's words and began to wonder whether or not it was true although the sound of it being true made me a bit happy again. "So you had better come tomorrow, all right?" I nodded happily as he took his arm off of me.

"But I still don't know what I can do to help you guys out. I mean, my powers are nowhere near your powers so that'll only mean I'll be getting in the way."

"Now that's not true… you know that time pendant that I have given you before?" I nodded. "If you wear it tomorrow, it'll boost your attack powers three times than normal so I'm sure that'll help you greatly."

"Really? I thought the time pendant worked differently… such as making one invulnerable to your time spells and being able to travel through time with your help?"

"It's true that it does all that but the one I have given you is a special kind so it has all of which you have mentioned so there's no need to worry about you being able to help us or not." I thought once more about whether or not I should go and the answer came to me quickly.

"Then I guess I'll meet you at Phantom's hideout at 12:30 PM." I smiled as he smiled as well.

"Meet me outside of the hideout and be sure not to tell Sam or Tucker. If you do, they'll be likely to try to stop you from going and we wouldn't want trouble before we leave now would we?"

"I guess…" It didn't feel or seem right for me not to tell my best friends where I was going but I have to trust Clockwork.

"Good! See you tomorrow then." Clockwork immediately went into his blue portal as he disappeared, along with the portal in no time. The thought about me being together with Phantom has me excited… I wonder what will happen tomorrow…

Third Person POV

"I failed master. Please forgive me for my failure for not defeating Phantom." Both of the reapers were on their knees begging for his forgiveness in front of a demon gate. Suddenly, a dark whisper was heard from the gate itself.

"You two shall wait here. Both Phantom and Clockwork will come to us themselves and when they do, they will be defeated utterly by you two. Do NOT fail me again. They need to be defeated so I can send the scourge forth to take over the human world and cleanse it of the living and rise up the undead." The reapers bowed their heads as the voice soon left the demon gate.

"We won't fail you this time master."

"When Phantom and Clockwork arrive here, we will kill them and show no mercy."

"And you will be able to get what you want; domination over the human world."

"Oh gee. What about me? Are you just going to leave me here and rot?" Both of the reapers quickly stared at Gregor who was tied up to the wall by chains around his wrists and legs.

"Oh don't worry."

"You have a big part of what is going to happen soon."

"You'll be the bait in luring Phantom here." The reapers raised their scythes and smashed it together making reality bend at their will. Hastily, everything around them began to disappear until there was nothing left but the reapers themselves and Gregor. They now stood in a world where all you could see was the color white in every direction.

"And now we shall wait for their arrival."

"We will please Lord Detheroc and we will not fail him."

"Will you two stop repeating yourselves? It's getting kind of annoying you know? I'm mean, I'm here listening to you two blabbering on like some kind of a broken record."

"Sleep!" One of the reapers pointed their scythe at Gregor and soon enough, Gregor fell into a deep slumber.

"I can not wait to fulfill the curse over Phantom."

"Neither can I brother but don't worry, the time will come to take our revenge." They both started to laugh manically and evilly as their laugher echoed through the dimension they were in of endless space.

RegiGod: If you find things unusual about this chapter such as things not bolded or italicized, you can blame it on my internet since I can't edit it myself properly and I have to ask someone else to do it for me so yeah. If you guys enjoyed this chapter, leave a review then! Until next time!